Negation in French: A1 flashcards

Question 1

Rule: How do you make a verb negative?

Accepted Answer

subject + ne + verb + pas / Je parle → Je ne parle pas. (I speak → I don't speak.)

Question 2

Make negative: Je travaille le samedi.

Accepted Answer

Je ne travaille pas le samedi. / (I work on Saturdays. → I don't work on Saturdays.)

Question 3

Make negative: Nous regardons la télé.

Accepted Answer

Nous ne regardons pas la télé. / (We watch TV. → We don't watch TV.)

Question 4

Make negative: Elles sont fatiguées.

Accepted Answer

Elles ne sont pas fatiguées. / (They are tired. → They aren't tired.)

Question 5

Make negative: Tu vas au cinéma.

Accepted Answer

Tu ne vas pas au cinéma. / (You're going to the cinema. → You aren't going to the cinema.)

Question 6

Make negative: Il fait chaud.

Accepted Answer

Il ne fait pas chaud. / (It's hot. → It isn't hot.)

Question 7

Rule: What does « ne » become before a vowel or a silent h?

Accepted Answer

n' / Elle n'est pas là. (She isn't here.)

Question 8

Make negative: Vous êtes français.

Accepted Answer

Vous n'êtes pas français. / (You are French. → You aren't French.)

Question 9

Make negative: J'habite à Lyon.

Accepted Answer

Je n'habite pas à Lyon. / (I live in Lyon. → I don't live in Lyon.)

Question 10

Make negative: Elle aime le chocolat.

Accepted Answer

Elle n'aime pas le chocolat. / (She likes chocolate. → She doesn't like chocolate.)

Question 11

Rule: How do you say “never”?

Accepted Answer

ne + verb + jamais / Il ne travaille jamais le dimanche. (He never works on Sundays.)

Question 12

Make negative with “never”: Tu fais la cuisine.

Accepted Answer

Tu ne fais jamais la cuisine. / (You cook. → You never cook.)

Question 13

Make negative with “never”: Elle va à la piscine.

Accepted Answer

Elle ne va jamais à la piscine. / (She goes to the pool. → She never goes to the pool.)

Question 14

Rule: How do you say “no longer” or “not anymore”?

Accepted Answer

ne + verb + plus / Il habite ici. → Il n'habite plus ici. (He lives here. → He no longer lives here.)

Question 15

Make negative with “no longer”: Nous avons faim.

Accepted Answer

Nous n'avons plus faim. / (We're hungry. → We're not hungry anymore.)

Question 16

Make negative with “no longer”: Elle travaille à Paris.

Accepted Answer

Elle ne travaille plus à Paris. / (She works in Paris. → She no longer works in Paris.)

Question 17

Rule: What happens to « un », « une » and « des » in a negative sentence?

Accepted Answer

They become « de », or « d' » before a vowel.
J'ai un chat. → Je n'ai pas de chat. (I have a cat. → I don't have a cat.)
After « être », the article stays: Ce n'est pas un chat. (It isn't a cat.)

Question 18

Make negative: J'ai un vélo.

Accepted Answer

Je n'ai pas de vélo. / (I have a bike. → I don't have a bike.)

Question 19

Make negative: Il y a des pommes.

Accepted Answer

Il n'y a pas de pommes. / (There are apples. → There aren't any apples.)

Question 20

Make negative: Nous avons une voiture.

Accepted Answer

Nous n'avons pas de voiture. / (We have a car. → We don't have a car.)

Question 21

Make negative: Elle a des enfants.

Accepted Answer

Elle n'a pas d'enfants. / (She has children. → She doesn't have any children.)

Question 22

Make negative: C'est une pomme.

Accepted Answer

Ce n'est pas une pomme. / (It's an apple. → It isn't an apple.)

Question 23

Rule: Do « le », « la », « l' » and « les » change in a negative sentence?

Accepted Answer

No. Definite articles stay the same. / Je n'aime pas le thé. (I don't like tea.)

Question 24

Make negative: Nous aimons la pluie.

Accepted Answer

Nous n'aimons pas la pluie. / (We like the rain. → We don't like the rain.)

Question 25

Make negative: Il regarde le match.

Accepted Answer

Il ne regarde pas le match. / (He's watching the match. → He isn't watching the match.)

Question 26

Make negative: Elle aime les chiens.

Accepted Answer

Elle n'aime pas les chiens. / (She likes dogs. → She doesn't like dogs.)

Question 27

Rule: Where do « ne » and « pas » go when a conjugated verb is followed by an infinitive?

Accepted Answer

Around the conjugated verb, before the infinitive. / subject + ne + conjugated verb + pas + infinitive / Je n'aime pas nager. (I don't like swimming.)

Question 28

Make negative: Tu aimes cuisiner.

Accepted Answer

Tu n'aimes pas cuisiner. / (You like cooking. → You don't like cooking.)

Question 29

Make negative: J'aime danser.

Accepted Answer

Je n'aime pas danser. / (I like dancing. → I don't like dancing.)

Question 30

Rule: What often happens to « ne » in everyday speech?

Accepted Answer

It is often dropped: Je sais pas. (I don't know.) / Keep « ne » in standard written French. / C'est pas grave. → Ce n'est pas grave. (It doesn't matter.)

Question 31

Rewrite in standard written French: On va pas à la plage.

Accepted Answer

On ne va pas à la plage. / (We aren't going to the beach.)

Question 32

Rewrite in standard written French: J'aime pas le froid.

Accepted Answer

Je n'aime pas le froid. / (I don't like the cold.)

Negation in French A1

The rules

How do you make a verb negative?

What does « ne » become before a vowel or a silent h?

How do you say “never”?

How do you say “no longer” or “not anymore”?

What happens to « un », « une » and « des » in a negative sentence?

Do « le », « la », « l' » and « les » change in a negative sentence?

Where do « ne » and « pas » go when a conjugated verb is followed by an infinitive?

What often happens to « ne » in everyday speech?

Common mistakes

24 exercises

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